Ambassador network
for teachers in social and health care training programmes
Aims and objectives of this project are:
In the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 the ambassadors met three times a year at different schools in order to see the actual surroundings of the schools of the different ambassadors. During the meetings the ambassadors have been sharing experiences and have furthermore been developing a catalogue of ideas of ‘the healthy working life’ with descriptions of already existing teaching materials and ideas of good practice.
According to an evaluation of the ambassador network, the participating teachers have stated that they see their participation in the network as a kind of in-service training, where they get the opportunity to have some time away from the school, and develop thoughts and ideas with other teachers across geographical distances.
Furthermore, the evaluation shows that the fact that the ambassadors were asked to set a goal, actually made them strive for this goal. Thus it has strongly encouraged or incited them to be part of the network.
Besides the meetings the network uses an electronic toolbox, which was developed during the project, to get inspiration and ideas for the actual teaching. It is essential to keep on developing this toolbox and continue to develop more teaching materials and inspire each other to new initiatives.
The ambassadors experienced different barriers to implementing good practices of teaching work environment at their schools. They are very dependent on the willingness of the leaders of the school, which sometimes makes it difficult to actually do something. Furthermore it has in some cases been difficult to be able to spread the news and ideas of teaching work environment because of resistance from colleague teachers.
The different schools do not progress equally, among other things because of the different barriers they face. This is to be kept in mind, so that all of the ambassadors profit from the network and no one gets left behind.
Contact and further information:
Susanne Ulk
Konsulent Arbejdsmiljøundervisning
Consultant Education and Training in Occupational Safety and Health
Enghavegårdsvej 4, Terslev
DK - 4690 Haslev
+45 5638 1678
ulk@live.dk
- to strengthen the teaching in work environment at the social and health care programmes, by Strengthening particular teachers to function as ambassadors with special knowledge on the work environment and with more tight relations to other ambassadors at other schools in order to create a network where the ambassadors can share experiences, obtain information and create knowledge.
- to extend the ambassador network to all of the 24 schools that use a social and health care programme in Denmark and thereby educating young people to work in social and health care branch (the network is currently represented at 11 schools).
- to improve the dialogue between teachers and the counsellors of practical work experience when it comes to the work environment, so that the students get the idea of coherence in between what they learn in school and what they learn when they are out doing their practical work experience.
In the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 the ambassadors met three times a year at different schools in order to see the actual surroundings of the schools of the different ambassadors. During the meetings the ambassadors have been sharing experiences and have furthermore been developing a catalogue of ideas of ‘the healthy working life’ with descriptions of already existing teaching materials and ideas of good practice.
According to an evaluation of the ambassador network, the participating teachers have stated that they see their participation in the network as a kind of in-service training, where they get the opportunity to have some time away from the school, and develop thoughts and ideas with other teachers across geographical distances.
Furthermore, the evaluation shows that the fact that the ambassadors were asked to set a goal, actually made them strive for this goal. Thus it has strongly encouraged or incited them to be part of the network.
Besides the meetings the network uses an electronic toolbox, which was developed during the project, to get inspiration and ideas for the actual teaching. It is essential to keep on developing this toolbox and continue to develop more teaching materials and inspire each other to new initiatives.
The ambassadors experienced different barriers to implementing good practices of teaching work environment at their schools. They are very dependent on the willingness of the leaders of the school, which sometimes makes it difficult to actually do something. Furthermore it has in some cases been difficult to be able to spread the news and ideas of teaching work environment because of resistance from colleague teachers.
The different schools do not progress equally, among other things because of the different barriers they face. This is to be kept in mind, so that all of the ambassadors profit from the network and no one gets left behind.
Contact and further information:
Susanne Ulk
Konsulent Arbejdsmiljøundervisning
Consultant Education and Training in Occupational Safety and Health
Enghavegårdsvej 4, Terslev
DK - 4690 Haslev
+45 5638 1678
ulk@live.dk 
